Lessons & Inclusion

Swim Lessons

Level Descriptions
Determining the correct level for your child prior to registration is crucial. It's not always possible to transfer incorrectly placed children from one level to another once the class begins. Read the following descriptions carefully or call 654-7511 for assistance to help select what level is right for your child.

Parent and Child (P&C)
*6 months-3 years
Parents will receive guided instruction on ways to help their child become comfortable in the water through song and play. Parents learn how to work with
their child and how to introduce bubble blowing, assist with arm and leg motion, and holds for front and back float along with safety information. This is not a learn
to swim class; rather, it is intended to get children acclimated to the water. *We recommend 1-3 years.

Preschool (Pre)
3-4.5 years
Recommended: At least one session of P&C. This class is an introduction to the water without parents. Blowing bubbles, breath-holding, kickihng, floating, arm strokes, and possibly going under water. Emphasizes water adjustment, safety, and fun.

Level 1 3.5-5 years
For children with little or no experience with swim lessons, this class focuses on water adjustment, blowing bubbles, submersion, assisted floating, gliding, and arm/leg action.

Level 2 4-6 years
For children with no fear of the water, and can swim short distances independently (under water or doggy paddle). Class focuses on floating and gliding on back/front unassisted, breathing, freestyle, backstroke, and elementary backstroke.

Level 35-8 years
Child must be able to swim freestyle at least 10 yards unassisted and be comfortable in deep water to enroll. Class focuses on coordinating freestyle and elementary backstroke, proper breathing, swimming distances of up to 15 yards, and beginning diving skills.

Level 4
7+ years
Child must be able to swim freestyle 20 yards without stopping and be comfortable in deep water to enroll. Class introduces breaststroke, backstroke, and butterfly, refines freestyle and elementary backstroke technique, works on diving skills and increases swimming endurance.

Inclusion Services

What is Inclusion?

Ventura Aquatic Center provides Inclusion Services to ensure that individuals with disabilities are able to participate in the same aquatics programs and/or activities as their non-disabled peers. Whenever possible, reasonable accommodations are made to enable successful participation in classes and programs. An accommodation is reasonable when it does not fundamentally change the nature of the program.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. The ADA, as applied to state and local parks and recreation departments, districts, and agencies, requires that no qualified individual with a disability shall, on the basis of a disability, be denied the benefits of public park or recreation services, programs or activities.

Inclusion is the process of providing supports, adaptations and training to ensure that individual needs

and desires for participation are met in ways that are reasonable, safe, and do not fundamentally alter the nature of the recreation program or activity.

Inclusion Services provide people with and without disabilities opportunities to recreate together in environments that are appropriate, nonrestrictive and beneficial for all.

Adaptive Swim Lessons4-13 years
We support inclusion: Participants are welcome to sign up for any lessons offered. Adaptive lessons adjust student/teacher ratio to work with participants at their specific ability level and age on personal goals. Please advise us of special needs two weeks prior to the start of class at 654-7512.